You need not have an ocean nearby to teach about the ocean. Teachers
in K-12
classrooms have for decades turned to the integrated concepts of the
sea to help them
teach topics as obvious as density and biodiversity but as varied as
alliterative poetry,
industrial design, and international law. The large number of magnet
schools using
marine themes is evidence that teachers believe oceanic learning can
enhance all parts
of the curriculum. Indeed, one highly successful program uses the ocean
environment
as an integrating context across disciplines and subject matter (McDonnell,
2001) and
another has used explored linkages between marine science and science
content
standards (New Jersey Sea Grant College Program, 2000). This Digest
is designed to share a rationale for teaching about oceans and briefly introduce the
kinds of resources
available to assist with such efforts.

As a self-designated marine educator living in central Ohio, I still
challenge people to
find a topic in the school curriculum that cannot be taught using a
marine connection.
While my dreams of waking to sea sounds are most often fulfilled through
use of nature
recordings, I nevertheless persist in bringing the sea into my work
with teachers. It's
simple. Anyone can teach about the sea if they have one right outside.
It takes a
creative and determined spirit to teach about the ocean whenever and
wherever the
many opportunities arise, but there are many resources available to
those up to the
challenge (Fortner, 1998).

WHY TEACH ABOUT OCEANS?

Some have suggested that our planet should really be called Ocean, because
there is
far more ocean than there is earth. The absolutely overpowering dimensions
of the
ocean demand that it have curricular attention. Oceans cover 70% of
Earth's surface
and contain 95% of the life-bearing space. Oceans interact with other
parts of the Earth system in major ways: they circulate heat and thus influence
world climate; life came from the sea and its biological diversity is greater
than that of the land; ocean forces shape the land, daily adding and subtracting
measurable parts of the areas where over 50% of humans choose to live.
The importance of the oceans to global conditions is reflected in the National
Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) that include
content standards related to the ocean's role in natural systems, climatic
conditions, life's diversity, and Earth's geological history.

The lure of the sea has given us the literature of danger and mystery,
the artistry of
coral colors and breaching whales, the promise of untapped resources,
and the history
book stories that ignite our passion for exploration. We need the sea,
and wherever we are in the world that sea is part of our sense of place.
Teachers can use this natural
affinity for the sea by using oceanography as a theme to integrate
school subjects and
develop active learning opportunities (Brown & Hansen, 2000).

Yet the wonders of the sea have not protected it, and many global environmental
concerns have examples if not origin in the sea. SeaWeb, an organization
that provides
excellent information for making people aware of the sea, lists eight
categories of
concern:

1. The discharge of pollutants from various sources on land and from
ships.

If we are to protect the resources of the ocean and secure for the future
those
ecosystem benefits we now collect from it, such as oxygen production,
food resources
and climate moderation, more people need to realize their responsibility
for the health of the seas. Education is the answer.

WHERE CAN I GET RESOURCES FOR TEACHING ABOUT THE OCEAN?

For educators not having direct access to coastal facilities, three
alternative types of
resources are suggested: people, libraries, and the Internet.

1. People. Who is doing marine education in my area?
People who teach about the ocean are excited about sharing this experience.
The
members of the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) welcome
newcomers to their regional and state chapters and to the national organization.
Members of NMEA and its chapters are teachers from preschool through graduate
school, and include those who work in public aquaria and coastal science
centers as well. The top marine educators of the world come to NMEA to
learn more, and each year the annual summer conference is host to a number
of visitors from around the globe. Visit the NMEA Internet site [http://www.marine-ed.org]
to locate the nearest chapter and learn about this year's conference.

The National Sea Grant College Program (a part of NOAA) has 30 coastal
programs.
Each has an education component, and many deal with K-12 education.
As the
Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H do for Land Grant institutions,
the Sea Grant
Educators Network is responsible for making the research done by Sea
Grant
accessible to learners of all ages. Sea Grant education is approached
differently among
the 30 coastal programs, but you can meet most of the educators through
NMEA.

2. Libraries. What print materials are available for marine education?
"Current: The Journal of Marine Education" is the journal of NMEA.
Each issue contains information about oceanic topics, the "sea stars" who
are leaders of marine education, and classroom-ready activities. If you
want to use real drift data to teach about how a spill of bathtub toys
taught oceanographers new information about Pacific currents, you can find
that information in this journal. A special issue (Volume 15(1) in 1998)
focused on the influence of Sea Grant on marine education and what Sea
Grant does in many arenas of education: K-12, university level, informal,
teacher education, and outreach to private and government sectors.

ERIC Resources: Searching the ERIC database with the descriptors "marine
education" or "oceanography" provides a wealth of resources from research
articles to classroom activities. The following examples from recent years
indicate the range of information available.

3. Internet. What are the key sites for marine education? The primary information source for marine education is The BRIDGE, a
cooperative
project of NMEA, Sea Grant, and the National Ocean Partnership Program.
It was
designed to bring together teachers, scientists, industry and academics.
In less than ten
years of active development, The Bridge has become a comprehensive
source of
accurate and useful information on global, national, and regional marine
science topics.
Saying that it is a collection of web sites for ocean teaching does
not do justice to the
value and quality of this award-winning site. It is a very teacher-friendly
resource,
whether you seek information on a particular science topic, or activities
for a certain
grade level, or material specific to your region. A popular monthly
feature is the Data
Port, in which real ocean data sets are accessed in a classroom activity.
Archives are
available on sea turtle nest mapping, zebra mussel population growth,
harmful algal
bloom distribution, how shipwrecks can teach us about ocean currents
and water
characteristics, and more.

People resources are an important part of the BRIDGE project as well.
For example, all web sites are reviewed by at least one teacher and one
scientist before being linked.
This improves the likelihood that the information is credible and pedagogically
appropriate. Teachers who want to help with this critical review process
can sign up to
be TROLLs (Teacher Reviewers of On-Line Learning)! TROLLs live under
the BRIDGE, of course, and keep out riffraff, web sites in this case. The
BRIDGE rewards its TROLLs with incentives and acknowledgement on a special
page. The science reviewers are STARs (Science and Technical Advisory Reviewers).
STARs protect legitimate users from groups with agendas, dot-coms, and
hobbyists who are just learning to make web pages.

In addition to being used by teachers, the BRIDGE is used by scientists
to access
teachers with current information. Announcements are posted of special
programs,
courses, laboratory opportunities, and student events. The Resource
Pavilion includes
connections to research laboratories, virtual expeditions, and national
programs. If you
have difficulty finding information on the BRIDGE, use the Scuttlebutt
section to ask for it. You can access BRIDGE resources from the NMEA home
page, or go directly to it at http://www.vims.edu/bridge.

SeaWeb does not have the strong teacher or scientist involvement that
the BRIDGE
does, but its Internet resources are substantial nevertheless. At http://www.seaweb.org
you will find great amounts of information and credible links to the
sciences of
environmental issues. This organization has the public opinion survey
information that
supports the continued need for ocean education. A link to SeaWeb from
KIDSNET
includes audio broadcasts from famous people who study the sea
[http://www.kidsnet.org/seaweb/].

NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the science
agency
that deals most directly with the oceans. It has a well-organized home
page with
information about ongoing science, including fisheries topics, global
climate change,
severe weather events, and special places such as marine sanctuaries,
estuaries, dead
zones, and the like. Visit NOAA for your science updates at http://www.noaa.gov/.
Aquarius, an underwater project hosted by NOAA, can be accessed at
http://www.uncwil.edu/nurc/aquarius/.

There are many other ocean-related Web resources intended for teachers
or students.

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